First inauguration of PNDS infrastructure

The Secretary of State for Local Development, Samuel Mendonça, today inaugurated three PNDS projects in Metinaro, sub-district of Dili.

Secretary of State for Local Development Samuel Mendonça and PNDS Director of Administration and Finance Aderito Guterres cut the ribbon on the new community centre in Akadiru Laran, Metinaro sub-district.

Two community centres and a drainage system were chosen, designed and built by the community of suku Sabuli in Metinaro as part of the pilot phase of PNDS which ran from June 2013 to May 2014.

Two hundred metres of roadside drainage were renovated as part of the project to prevent flooding.

As part of the priority setting process of PNDS, women in the village hold a separate meeting to identify which infrastructure is the top priority for them. In Sabuli village the women selected a community centre as their priority.

“We chose to build a community centre because before when the mobile health clinic came to our village, we had to use somebody’s house for the medical consultations. We are really happy now that we have a community-owned space to use when the mobile health team comes,” said community member Teresa da Costa, who also sits on the operations and maintenance team that will be responsible for upkeep of the centre.

Members of the PNDS community management team in suku Sabuli show the newly completed drainage system to Secretary of State Samuel Mendonça.

Secretary of State Samuel Mendonça inspects the new drain.

Thirty villages went through the PNDS process in the pilot phase in order to test and refine the PNDS systems and procedures. Most have now completed their construction and are in the final stage of audit and accountability meetings.

: Secretary of State for Local Development Samuel Mendonça and PNDS Director of Administration and Finance Aderito Guterres cut the ribbon on the new community centre in Akadiru Laran, Metinaro sub-district.

: A member of the community in suku Sabuli puts the finishing touches on the paintwork of the new community centre.

: The new community centre in suku Sabuli.

: Father Deonizio Bere blesses the new community centre in the presence of Secretary of State Mendonca, Metinaro sub-district administrator Fausto Soares Dias, and members of the community.